How To: LED Festoon map lights

[CGY Falcon]

hi guys,

I've just installed a pair of small tape-on BLUE neon tubes (with audio-sensitive mode) under the steering wheel and in the tray beneath the A/C controls --> looks great on my Galaxy-grey EX sedan.

Now i'm thinking about LED-modding the map/dome/license/trunk lights...
I'm thinking of:
Map: 9LED 3022 festoon x 2 Blue (vs. white/red?)
Dome: 9LED 3022 festoon x 1 Blue (vs. red?)
Trunk: 194x2 Red (vs blue?)
License plate: 194x2 White

My question is: for a blue dash, would making the map/dome light RED make it look ugly (what comes out when u mix blue and red light?) ? Should I make the Map light WHITE since it might be easier to see maps than red/blue? But I also read that WHITE lights may make the interior look too sterile/boring?)

Finally, for the trunk light, is the 194 bulb wide-angle so that i don't need to make a light deflector to distribute the light?

Thanks a lot guys. I am aesthetically challenged and a n00b in car lighting/modding.

[dpaschal]

http://frickinbrite.com/catalog/prod...roducts_id=147

They are great and I really like their low profile. I just bought most of my LED lighting from this guy. For the ones that he has, which is most of them, I spent right at $100 shipped.

[HabaneroGuy]

Originally Posted by CGY Falcon

My question is: for a blue dash, would making the map/dome light RED make it look ugly (what comes out when u mix blue and red light?) ? Should I make the Map light WHITE since it might be easier to see maps than red/blue? But I also read that WHITE lights may make the interior look too sterile/boring?)

You will get purple when you mix red and blue. So if you want purple, then go for it. I made my own red LED map lights.



If I wanted to be able to read, I would have put a few red and a few white.

And I put six 3watt LEDs under the dash and seats.

[CGY Falcon]

dude the red makes that SI look really sweet!

i just ordered a few red and a few blue festoons from superbrightleds a few days ago, gonna try them both out~ will post pics later !

thanks & i'll see how 'purple' it gets with the blue/red mixing with my blue dash.

[HabaneroGuy]

For your trunk the red will be intense. But the blue will let you see whats inside the trunk better. My two cent worth.

[dpaschal]

Originally Posted by dpaschal

http://frickinbrite.com/catalog/prod...roducts_id=147

They are great and I really like their low profile. I just bought most of my LED lighting from this guy. For the ones that he has, which is most of them, I spent right at $100 shipped.

I am finally getting all of the ones I ordered in. I just put these in for the license plate lights and the cargo lighs...

http://frickinbrite.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=40_63


Now I am just waiting on the tail light assemblies so that I can put the other tail lights and turn signals and brake lights and backup lights and anything else I left out...on them.

[dpaschal]

Has anyone had to use load resistors for turn signals or tail lights? Just curious as I am in the middle of an install.

[fesersoft]

Originally Posted by dpaschal

I am finally getting all of the ones I ordered in. I just put these in for the license plate lights and the cargo lighs...

http://frickinbrite.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=40_63


Now I am just waiting on the tail light assemblies so that I can put the other tail lights and turn signals and brake lights and backup lights and anything else I left out...on them.

Heat (I think) has killed 2 sets of superbrightleds.com 194 bulbs. So I am going to try the v-leds next.

[HabaneroGuy]

Originally Posted by fesersoft

Heat (I think) has killed 2 sets of superbrightleds.com 194 bulbs. So I didn't disable a man accountts.

Where did you have them installed? Do you know the voltage rateing for them?

[fesersoft]

Originally Posted by HabaneroGuy

Where did you have them installed? Do you know the voltage rateing for them?

I have them installed in the tail lights, side lights and license plate.

All but the license plate ones have been fine.

I just killed my second set.

One flickers and the other one goes in and out.

[HabaneroGuy]

Originally Posted by fesersoft

I have them installed in the tail lights, side lights and license plate.

All but the license plate ones have been fine.

I just killed my second set.

One flickers and the other one goes in and out.

I made my own LED lights for the rear license plate. But all of a sudden, they were flickering too. I think I might know the problem. I made mine for 12 volts, but when the car is running it is putting out 14.2 volts. So after time the LEDs heat up, and they will burn out or flicker.

[fesersoft]

Originally Posted by HabaneroGuy

I made my own LED lights for the rear license plate. But all of a sudden, they were flickering too. I think I might know the problem. I made mine for 12 volts, but when the car is running it is putting out 14.2 volts. So after time the LEDs heat up, and they will burn out or flicker.

The Super bright leds I had I think compensated for that.

None of my other LED's have been an issue, including the 3rd tail light.

What size resistor did you use on the lights.

Also how did you "build" the lights, any pics?

[CGY Falcon]

Originally Posted by CGY Falcon

hi guys,

I've just installed a pair of small tape-on BLUE neon tubes (with audio-sensitive mode) under the steering wheel and in the tray beneath the A/C controls --> looks great on my Galaxy-grey EX sedan.

Now i'm thinking about LED-modding the map/dome/license/trunk lights...
I'm thinking of:
Map: 9LED 3022 festoon x 2 Blue (vs. white/red?)
Dome: 9LED 3022 festoon x 1 Blue (vs. red?)
Trunk: 194x2 Red (vs blue?)
License plate: 194x2 White

My Review:
For map/dome lights:
the 3022 9LED RED provides a nice warm color but the brightness is inferior to the BLUE ones. It is also difficult to read maps (for us who can't afford Nav :P ) under the RED lights because most maps have green/red colors for roads/parks/grass etc and the RED light really screws up the map (the roads blend into the surroundings so u can't really see the turns/intersections well)

The BLUE 3022 9LED provides more than adequate brightness..some may argue they are TOo bright (i read about someone deciding to put the LEDs facing up to reduce the brightness and now i know why). Map reading under BLUE is better than under the RED (But of course the OEM yellow is the best for maps)

For trunk light:
The 194 RED 5LED looks cool but produces FAR LESS lighting than the OEM yellow bulbs. The 194 WHITE produces more brightness than RED but is still dimmer than the OEM yellow. I might wanna check out the BLUE ones next time, or just switch back to the OEM yellows if the LEDs are unsatisfactory.

For License plate:
The 194 White 5LED looks great, but again not as bright as the OEM yellow bulbs. The White color looks great tho. I just hope they don't burn out fast, as some people on this board have experienced.

[HabaneroGuy]

Originally Posted by fesersoft

The Super bright leds I had I think compensated for that.

None of my other LED's have been an issue, including the 3rd tail light.

What size resistor did you use on the lights.

Also how did you "build" the lights, any pics?

For the red LEDs I put 6 in series in parallel with 6 in series. The LEDs are 2.3v, so 6x2.3v=13.8v. So I did not have to use any resistors. But the blue LEDs are 3.3v. So I put 4 in series in parallel with 4 in series in parallel with 4 in series. 4x3.3=13.2v with a 33ohm resistor. For pics go here.
http://public.fotki.com/themodelergu...led_map_light/

[gbae007]

Habiguy,
I saw your link and I don't even know what I supposed to be looking at! Circuit boards? Soldering? That's too hardcore for me!

[HabaneroGuy]

Originally Posted by gbae007

Habiguy,
I saw your link and I don't even know what I supposed to be looking at! Circuit boards? Soldering? That's too hardcore for me!

Hey, fesersoft and a couple of people asked for the info. So that is what they get. And yes it is for the advanced DIY.

[ayenoc]

hey guys... I wanna do my all my interior and some exterior LED.. So as far I Know, Im Getting the #3022 (9LED) 3 of them 2 in front for the map light and 1 in the rear dome.. Now my question is... I wanna do the License Plate. I read that I need #194 bulb.. Would I need 1 or 2 bulb and how many LED on each bulb..? Also For the trunk How MANY do i need 1 or 2 and how many LED in each bulb.. and last for my reverse light.. is it still the same as for the trunk and license plate and how many LED in each bulb.. i know u need 2 for both rear lights.. THanks in advance

[ayenoc]

thanks yo

[stevenshizzle]

Out of all of these LEDs, which ones would be the best to wire up as illuminators under the dashboard. I would opt to power them via the parking light wire to wire them as courtesey lights.

Ideas would be greatly appreciated!

[gbae007]

STEVENSHIZZLE:
the 9-LED festoon should probably be best. The license LED's are too wide angle for what you want to do.